HS2 could be tunnelled under Northolt and Ealing in a bid to cut disruption.

HS2 Ltd will recommend that High Speed Two (HS2) be tunnelled between Old Oak Common and Northolt after HS2 Ltd investigated this suggestion from local residents and Ealing Council.

A study has recommended a tunnel as the best option for this specific section of the route because a surface route would have caused more disruption to traffic, cost as much or more than a tunnel, and would have taken longer to build.

Following the results of the study, HS2 Ltd is now recommending – and the Secretary of State for Transport is minded to take the option forward – a 9km bored tunnel between North Acton (near Old Oak Common) and Northolt.

If adopted, this would mean the proposed route for HS2 would be in continuous bored twin tunnels from Old Oak Common to West Ruislip – making it the longest tunnel on the route at 14km.

“The recommendation to build a tunnel through Ealing and Northolt shows what can be achieved by working with local people and that we value their input and suggestions."

HS2 Ltd has said that extending the tunnel through Hillingdon was not a viable option, despite protests from local residents and businesses.

Lottie Jones of Ruislip Against HS2 said: "This should never have been an overground project in the first place, of course they can't knock down 18 bridges around Hanger Lane.. "They are now saying this tunnel is the cheaper option, it makes us less inclined to believe HS2 Ltd when they told us they could not extend the Ruislip tunnel through Ickenham. "HS2 Ltd said they can't do the Ickenham tunnel due to cost not due to engineering reasons so we will be going back to them again and pushing them to extend this tunnel further, which we know is possible. "But it doesn't matter how much mitigation they do this is a project that should not be going ahead full stop."